Monkey wrench with adjustment lock



July 24, 1956 F. c. HUND 2,755,694

MONKEY WRENCH WITH ADJUSTMENT LOCK Filed March 23, 1955 as 2s 2s INVENTOR E C. Hand ATTORNEY MONKEY WRENCH WITH ADJUSTMENT LOCK Frank C. Hund, Nashville, Tenn., assignor of thirty-five per cent to Warren H. Stevenson and fifteen per cent to Jack E. Montgomery, Nashville, Tenn.

Application March 23, 1955, Serial No. 496,112

3 Claims. (Cl. 81-176) This invention relates to hand tools of various kinds including wrenches, and more particularly to wrenches having handles each with a pair of jaws on the side of the handle, one of each pair of which jaws is movable or adjustable, so that it may be adjustably spaced from the other jaw for gripping nuts, bolts and the like of different sizes.

The invention is concerned particularly with adjustable wrenches of the above character in which some means is provided for locking or fastening the adjustable jaw in a fixed position relative to the other jaw so that the Wrench is capable of being readily and repeatedly used on a nut, bolt or the like of a definite size.

Wrenches having adjustable jaws are of great convenience, but because of the fact that the parts are made of sufficient clearance to allow them to be operated easily, they quickly get out of adjustment and where time is important as with an airline mechanic, it is desirable that satisfactory means be provided for locking the wrenches in a desired setting. This has been undertaken by providing a movable mounting pin for the adjusting screw and in other ways but this has not been satisfactory be cause, among other reasons, the wrenches were rendered clumsy and could not be used in close places.

It is an object of the invention to overcome the disadvantages above mentioned and provide a locking device for an adjustable wrench, for locking the jaws of the wrench in any desired setting, without modifying the size and proportions of the wrench or interfering with its use, as Well as a locking device operatable with one hand with the wrench in a restricted space and without having to withdraw the wrench to adjust or readjust the setting of the jaws.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive locking mechanism which may be easily applied to a conventional monkey wrench and the cost of which will be relatively inexpensive and yet will operate indefinitely and effectively to lock the wrench in the desired setting.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevation illustrating one application of the invention with the wrench locked in a particular setting;

Fig. 2, a similar view with the parts unlocked for per mitting adjustment;

Fig. 3, a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4, a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5, a perspective of the locking saddle per se;

Fig. 6, the locking slide actuable by such saddle; and

Fig. 7, a section on the line 7--7 of Fig. 1.

Briefly stated, the present invention is a locking device for an adjustable wrench having a straight handle with a fixed jaw at one end set at right angles to the handle and with a parallel adjustable jaw movable by rotating an T nited States Patent 2,755,694 Patented July 24, 1956 adjusting member in the form of a worm engaging a series of transverse notches and forming a rack on the inner edge of the handle. The locking device comprises a relatively flat substantially rectangular member carried by the fixed jaw and slidable into the knurled raised thread of the adjusting member so that it cannot rotate, the slide being reciprocatable or movable in an endwise direction by means of an operating saddle lever pivoted at one end on the slide which carries the movable jaw and with its extremities having ribs adjacent each rear edge which enter corresponding grooves on the slide which carries the movable jaw.

Without continued reference to the drawing, a monkey wrench of conventional construction is disclosed, such wrench having a straight handle 10 with a fixed jaw 11 and an adjustable or movable parallel jaw 12 carried by a slide 13 slidable on the handle 10. The handle is provided with a series of notches 14 which form in effect a rack engaged by a spirally ribbed operating member 15 rotatable on shaft 16 mounted on slide 13 within the notches 14 to adjust the movable jaw 12 relative to the fixed jaw 11. The operating member 15 forms in effect a pinion with its spiral rib knurled so that it may be easily manipulated by the finger.

in order to lock the operating member against rotation so that the jaws of the wrench will be maintained in fixed position a substantially rectangular slide 17 is provided having a curved end portion 18 for engagement with the knurled portions of the operating member 15.

In order to accommodate this slide 17 the movable jaw carrying member is provided with a slot 19 having its parallel sides 20 and 21 undercut to provide a dovetail effect for the tapered edges 22 and 23, the bottom of the slide 17 being the wider and the top narrower. The curved inner end of the slide is engageable with the operating member 15 to lock the same against rotation. The slide 17 is provided with an upstanding pin 24 which is received in an opening 25 in the saddle lever 26 through the openings in the ears 2) and 28 of which screws 29 pivotally connect the saddle lever to the slide 13.

Pivoting of the slide about the screw pivots 29 will cause endwise movement or reciprocation of the rectangular slide 17 due to the pin and slot connection 24 and 25 and in order to facilitate operation of the saddle it is provided with a manipulating extension 30 in the center portion of its rear end which can be moved by the thumb nail or end of the finger.

In order that the saddle lever 26 may be locked in a definite position it is provided with internal ribs 31 and 32, one at each side for engaging a pair of parallel grooves 33 in the slide 13, the flexibility of the saddle member allowing entrance and removal of the ribs in the grooves.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is illustrated in the drawing and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination a monkey wrench including a straight handle with a fixed jaw at right angles thereto at one end of the handle and a slide movable along said handle and having a jaw parallel to the first jaw, a rotatably mounted operating member carried by the slide and engageable with the handle causing the slidable jaw to move longitudinally of the handle toward and from the fixed jaw, a locking device for engagement with said operating member, said handle having a slot disposed transversely of said straight handle and having undercut sides, a locking slide in said slot having sides parallel and tapered complementarily to those of the slot to retain the locking slide, in the slot, an operating lever in, the form of a saddle snugly received on the jaw-carrying slide and pivoted at one end, a pivotal connection between said lever and? said locking slide, a manipulating ex; tension on the endof'said saddle, the sides of said. jaw-carrying slide being provided with parallel longitudinally disposed grooves and saidoperating lever having corresponding ribs for location in said grooves for locking the operative lever in fixed relation to the jaw-carrying slide.

2. In combination a monkey wrench including a hanle with a fixed jaw at right angles thereto at one end of the handle and a slide movable along said handle and having a jaw parallel to the first jaw, a rotatably mounted operating member carried by the slide and? engageable with the handle causing the slidable jaw to move longitudinally of the handle toward and from the fixed jaw, a locking device for engagement with said operating member, said handle having a slot disposed transversely of said straight handle and having undercut sides, a locking slide in said slot having sides parallel and tapered complenientarily to those of the slot to retain the locking slide in the slot, an operating lever in the form of a saddle snugly received on the jaw-carrying slide and pivoted at one end, and a pivotal connection between said lever and said locking slide.

34. A. locking device. for a wrench having adjustable jaws and a knurled rotatable operating member, said locking device comprising a slide movable into engagement with said knurled member, an operating lever pivotally connected to said slide, said operating lever being pivotally mounted and being of a configuration to conform closely to the surface configuration of the rim of the wrench on it is mounted a manipulating extension onsaid operating, lever, and meansfor locking said, lever in fixed relation to the movable jaw of the wrench.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,599,162 Brown Sept. 7, 1926 1,749,002 Schneider et al Mar. 4, 1930 2,309,529 Orchard Jan. 26, 1943 2,483,917 Moselter Oct. 4, 1949 2,648,243 Chappel Aug. 11, 1953 2,688,893 Jackson; Sept. 14., 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 11,064,581 France l Dec. 23, 1953 

